Bankers, Thieves, and Liars - Policy and Statecraft in the Renaissance

The City-States.

Explore this topic in the activity below.

The Renaissance begins in Florence:

Roman law was revived in Florence as was the use of Latin.
Church held limited influence.
Artistic innovation was widely accepted.
Honored all worthwhile achievements.
the Medici encouraged art.
Florence was highly educated (highest literacy in all of Europe).

A decline in prosperity ends the Renaissance.

Italian city-states decline.
Trade gets cut off.
Exploration channels money elsewhere.
Everyone begins looking to the new world for products/wealth.
Venice holds the strongest.
Fighting erupts between the city states.
Opposition to families begins.

France aligns with Milan & Florence against Venice which results in the Peace of Lodi - a treaty aiming to balance power between city states, and to keep France out.

Forty years later France and the Holy Roman Empire come in to Italy to take control:

Photograph - closeup of Michelangelo's David

1494 Charles VIII of France invades Italy with 30,000 men.
Medici in Florence bribes soldiers not to destroy, give them artwork.
Loss of art upsets the people of Florence, they revolt against the Medici.
Republic in established Florence.
Charles continues to Naples where he is warmly welcomed.
HRE feels violated, sends army against Charles.
French beaten in 1497 leave, quiet peace established.
French invade again, and head to Milan; now lead by Louis XII, backed by Pope Alexander VI.

Did you know? Alexander VI
Widely seen as one of the most CORRUPT popes the Church has ever seen, he had numerous affairs, appointed family members (including his children) to high church positions. He desires MORE POWER, thus allies with France securing the partnership by GRANTING AN ANNULMENT to Louis XII.

Alexander VI dies, the new pope (Julian II) breaks the alliance with Louis and literally leads troops against Louis. Julian becomes known as the "warrior pope." Louis keeps Naples, but loses other territory. Julian controls the Papal States and the rest is divided between the HRE and Spain. However, HRE & France continue to fight, with the French losing. The French king is caught in Milan and ransomed back to France, which ends French involvement.

Why might Machiavelli advocate an army?
Machiavelli comes to power in Florence during the time that the Medici were exiled and France and the HRE are fighting to control Italy. His beliefs encourage nationalism (a pride in one's nation, in this case - Florence) and it makes sense that he would advocate an army comprised of Florentines willing to defend their city. The Holy Roman Empire begins to loot cities and sacks Rome. By 1529, Rome is destroyed, effectively seen as the end of the Renaissance.

Machiavelli.

From 1508-1512, Niccolo Machiavelli was a Florentine statesmen who promoted the civic virtue of joining the army. It was Machiavelli's belief that no army meant there would be no unity. In 1512, the Medici come back to Florence. Machiavelli is arrested, tortured, and exiled by the incoming Medici regime. During his exile he writes The Prince - a guide on how to rule. It is dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici in hopes of getting back into their good graces. Instead it becomes THE political treatise of its time with its influence lasting centuries.

Some of Machiavelli's Political Advice:

"The ends justify the means" - provided that the end result is an honorable one or in the best interest of the nation, it doesn't matter what approach you take to get to it.
"It is better to be feared than to be loved" - that if a leader must choose, he should choose for his people to fear him, for if they love him they may take advantage of his kindness. A caveat - one must not instill such fear as leads to hate.
At times rulers should behave like a lion (aggressive and powerful) and at other times like a fox (cunning and practical.)

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